Textkit Greek and Latin Forums

Posted: **Sun Oct 19, 2003 7:21 pm**

Stuck on Wheelock again:
At vita illius modi aequi aliquid iucundi atque felicis continet.
But a life of that calm manner contains something of joyful and happy men.
OR ... But the life of that man contains something of the calm manner of joyful and happy men.
OR ...
Anyone got any ideas?

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2003 2:21 am**

I was attempting to work this one out yesterday, and couldn't get it to make sense either. It can't be "joyful and happy men" because both iucundi and felicis are genitive singular, right? So if they are substantive it will have to be "a joyful and happy man".

I'm leaning towards:
"yet the life of that (one) retains something of a contented, pleasant, and happy way"

??
(I don't even know if what I'm trying to do is feasible ;)

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2003 6:08 am**

But a life in that calm manner contains something of joy and happiness.

I'm taking illius modi aequi as a genitive of description. Then iucundi and felicis as partitive genitives agreeing with an understood modi.

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2003 12:37 pm**

bingley wrote: partitive genitives agreeing with an understood modi.

You can simply consider iucundi and felicis as neuter adjectives, as in
quid novi ? "What of new?"

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2003 2:54 pm**

I did wonder about that. Thanks.

Posted: **Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:36 pm**

Thanks people. Yes, 'contains something of joy and happiness' would be correct. Looking back I see that partitive genitives were covered a few chapters back. I never really understood them then, (and I still don't see how you can have part of an adjective) but at least now I'll know what to look for!

Posted: **Tue Oct 21, 2003 2:12 am**

It's not part of the adjective, it's part of what the adj. describes. You just have to imagine there's a noun in there, but that's because we're English speakers. The Romans were quite happy with it.